


A Matched Pair

by tautochrying



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humanstuck, M/M, Rosemary to come soon I promise, Self-Hatred, characters to be added as we go, multi racial karkat, oooohhh boy I have no motivation and I can't t ag thinnngs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-09 02:31:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7783318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tautochrying/pseuds/tautochrying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What are you supposed to do when your soulmate has red eyes while yours are gray, it's not like it's a common thing. There have to be some complications, like say meeting some random dude in class who won't take off glasses for his life even though it would save a shit ton of time for everyone</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> A. UUgghh this fic returns from the dead of my drafts, I promise writing quality isn't always like this and chapters might not always be this long. Everything depends

A cliche way to wake up in his opinion, startled by the loud beeping of the alarm clock that sat less than two feet away from his ear, but it was how he woke up nonetheless. In all honesty, it was Kankri's fault for trying to get him into some sort of sleep schedule and putting the stupid thing there in the first place. It's not like he wanted to wake up to a ear piercing noise that just sped up the initial process of being annoyed with the day. He sat up with a disgruntled sigh and a string of complaints he mumbled, almost as if someone were in the room to hear him.

Somehow he managed to just turn off the alarm clock and not throw it against the wall, managed to not do anything that he actually wanted to do to that hell machine in a sense of the word. It only took five more seconds of aimless complaints before he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Give it another minute or so and he actually stood up, stretching out and yawning as he did. One major downside of the alarm clock was that it took away his ultimate excuse to avoid going through an entire morning routine, without rushing at that. A whole hour to get ready for his first day at this new school, compared to back at where he used to live. Back where he was was different, it was where he would wake up less than ten minutes before he had to be present for school most of the time. The school building itself was about a minute drive or so away and he always had walked, sometimes jogged, somehow he always made it to school on time. There were some cons that he actually couldn't give any bit of a shit about, one being that he nearly always ended up being the visual embodiment of a sign that read he woke up and got ready in less than ten minutes.

The move to a different country hadn't helped either, he still had the accent left over from living there for as long as he did. Three years was enough to get it to stick in some form, when he starts to yell it's pretty hard to stop it. He can talk kind of normally by standards of people outside of where he essentially grew up, but it takes a small bit of effort and focus he completely loses when he's angry or ranting about something in general.  
When he was around the age of thirteen his family moved in with the Maryam's, now he's sixteen and they had moved to this hell of a state called Texas. Three full years or so in Wales leaves you with some form of an accent. Add that he's living next to the Maryam's and he's sure the accent will end up staying in some way. Not to even mention the bullshit that is where he originally grew up in for the first thirteen years.

Karkat walked over to his dresser, opening the drawer and taking out the first shirt that he saw. Repeat that process with pants and socks and now he found himself in a plain black long sleeve shirt, what he thinks are gray jeans, and of course random socks. Now that that's over he heads to the bathroom doing all the crap he usually rushed, which was mostly just brushing his teeth and then staring at the mirror for at least a few seconds. And he was staring, not out of vanity. No, Karkat Vantas was almost the opposite of vain. He was just looking at parts of himself, or more just one specific part. Eyes. It was all he noticed or focused on. Gray eyes. Not his oddly pale skin or haphazardly placed freckles. Not the mess of pitch black hair. Gray eyes. It wasn't the shape of his face or any other feature that he could criticise himself for. Just the gray eyes that he more or less hated the most.

The only thing keeping him from completely thinking he he was without a soulmate was the lack of a certain color in his life. Though, the color he's missing was so uncommon when it comes to being placed in the irises of another he figures he might as well have just be left alone. He always had internal battles over whether having a soulmate with red eyes made it easier or harder to find whoever he has. Red eyes weren't common, both a problem and a bit of help, mostly a problem. The heap of bullshit just expanded with his own eye color. How the hell would his soulmate even know it was him? There'd be no way and with Karkat's luck the person won't believe him if he tries to say it. Gray can't replace gray, or at least not noticeably. What reason would they even have to love him?

He doesn't want to feel like he has to love someone just because of their eyes, but if he and that person are fated to be best together would there really be a choice not to? Of course there would be a choice but it's not recommended whatsoever. Part of him irrationally refuses to believe the whole soulmate thing will ever actually happen to him, the other part hopes for it to happen. Hopes that he could have something like in the movies, or at least something close. Just to know what it feels like to be in some sort of situation like he's seen so many times.

He walked down the stairs, ate breakfast while only half listening to the morning rant from Kankri, near completely sure no one else in the house was listening either. That day it had been something about making a good impression at the new school and telling him he should've fixed the mess he calls hair, Karkat wasn't paying much attention. One last glance at the not-gray sweater Kankri was wearing and Karkat finished his food. Maybe if he gets away quick enough he won't have to listen to another rant the whole walk to school.

He wasn't entirely too happy about walking but it wasn't very far and, he wouldn't admit it aloud, but the neighborhood was quite a picturesque place. Which is expected considering that Kanaya's mother had kind of picked out the area. He pulled out his phone, catching a glimpse of the gray irises in the slight reflection of the screen, sighing and checking the time before slipping the thing back into his pocket. Again with the gray eyes. It's made his life even more of a living hell than it was before he learned about the soulmate stuff, he can't even imagine what's going on with his soulmate. The person he's meant to love, meant to care for the most, and he's probably making them distressed in some way without even knowing whoever they are. Just another reason why he hates the damn eyes he has.

The walk to school was short, luckily undisturbed, and a little bit boring if he had to be honest. But finally he got to the school, some overly excited girl with almost as odd of an accent as he himself had showed him around and directed him to his locker and holy hell was she happy. About, well everything from what he understood through the excited talking and all. Karkat would have to admit he was a bit relieved when she left him to his own business at his locker. The number would be easy enough to remember, the combination might take a little bit to memorize though. He'll get it eventually. As he emptied out the things in his bag he wouldn't need until around the end of the day he found that he legitimately had to stand on the tips of his toes see the very top shelf in the locker.

The layout of the inside was a good bit simple, one shelf at the top which was about a foot under the ceiling of the locker, another one under that which was also about a foot from the shelf above it. About half a foot above the bottom of the locker it was the same, in between was just free space along with three hooks on the back of the locker, directly under the second shelf. Karkat could only guess but he'd say the total height was about six feet, about ten inches taller than he actually is. After getting all of his things situated he shut the door of the thing, the slight clank noise somehow reaching his ears over all the conversations going on in the hallway he stood in. Talking, the thump of footsteps, many kids shuffling around in their lockers, much more noise than Karkat really would like to deal with at the moment.

He leaned against his locker, just overall observing his surroundings, he's in a new school might as well try and get somewhat used to the place. The lockers were all solid blue, besides some that have seemed to be decorated by the respective students that own them, most of the walls were white. The wooden floor was as expected, a dark shade of brown. He really didn't pay much attention, he wasn't one to admire interior design and such. That was more Kanaya's type of thing. Just by glancing around he noticed at least four couples, obviously soulmates. He always used to think it was a rare thing, and many others would think so. But once you look deeper into the meaning of the whole soulmate thing, even if you just look around you find it isn't as uncommon as you'd think. Destined to be together, destined to stay together, fated to come across one another somehow.

There's been stories of sorts, people that claim as they got older they felt almost like some sort of line was pulling them towards 'the one' until they came across one another. People who have said so said its like a magnetic force, not necessarily forcing you but more guiding you in the direction of whomever you are meant to be with. Karkat never felt it. Not once in his life did he feel any subconscious tug telling him, or more hinting at, where to go. Maybe it was just that he never found himself searching nor did he ever feel the want to search.

Maybe it was his mindset that believed that on the odd chance that he actually gets to meet his soulmate then it'll happen regardless of what he did, and if he didn't get to meet them then he wouldn't be able to do much of it, but no matter how much of a romance loving person he is he just never found himself searching. He always kept an eye out, always looked around to spot someone with gray eyes that weren't as his own were, not to mention he's never met anyone with eyes as his were. Ever since he could actually understand the concept of soulmates and romance he's had the topic scratching at the back of his mind.

He knew so much about all of this stuff. He knew some legends, some things only soulmates can have with each other, he didn't know everything but he sure as hell knew a lot. With as much as he reads about all of it you'd think his curiosity would be satisfied, almost nonexistent, but that definitely isn't the case. Each time he saw something about soulmates he felt some sort of unexplainable spark, he wanted to know so badly. To experience this supposedly wonderful thing. To go through what should be the happiest moment in his life. Some part of him knows this is not how it's going to happen if it even does happen, there's little to no way for his soulmate to know exactly who he is when he meets them.

The bell sounds, signaling it's time to head to the first class of the day. He stands up straight, fishing out the schedule Ms. Way Too Excited gave him earlier. The fact that he has no clue where to go must've been obvious in his expression, or maybe it was just that he obviously was a new kid here simply because this is the first day almost everyone here will be seeing his face, either way a literal few seconds after he started looking around for whatever class he was supposed to be in his vision was blocked by someone standing in front of him. Thankfully all they really did was look at his schedule and point him in the right direction before bolting off to their own class.

He walked over to the first class, slipping into the room and finding an empty seat that he then took. A slight thud sounded when he dropped his bag next to him, opening the thing and taking out a simple notebook. According to cliche scenarios, it was common for many people flock over to the new kid at school, maybe it was the look on his face that practically screamed "If any of you get near me someone's going to get hit and it won't be me" that kept most of them from coming over. Or maybe it was that no one even wanted to spark up a conversation in the first place, wouldn't surprise him in the slightest.  
It wasn't long before class started, he sat through it wordlessly, looking as tired as ever. When he wasn't being assigned work or having to do something else for class he would either doodle in the notebook he had out or he would read some book Kanaya had gotten him to try and get him not as upset about the move.

That's how the rest of the classes leading up to lunch went, drawing and reading during his free time in class, sometimes having to get someone who tried to make conversation to go away, and doing his work when needed. It was as he was walking into the hallway to head to lunch that he switched out the things in his locker for the things in his bag, some teacher had given him a small map of the school so he actually knew where the cafeteria and things would be.

Honestly he's still surprised and a tad bit suspicious at how friendly a lot of the people he's coming across seem to be. Well he really isn't complaining, not out loud at the least, suspicious kindness isn't worse than blatant unfriendliness. He did find it odd still, all of the people who had greeted him so far didn't even know him, but maybe that's why they actually greeted him. Take pity on the new guy try and get him some friends, or it could be the other way around where some people want to expand their social circle so they seek out the new guy to drag him into it. Either way he really isn't interested, never really was a social person anyway. He had a few friends and he only knew most of them through chat clients and mutual friends, even then the number for the amount of people he actually considers his friends lingers around the single digit numbers.

He got his food, looking around before he was finally met with a familiar face. He maneuvered around all of the people still walking around and trying to find a table, having to actually go around a small group that decided as he was approaching was the perfect time to step in his way.

But then he got to the table where he had seen the familiar face, sitting down in front of the girl he's seen so many times before. The black lipstick adorning her soft smile, jade green eyes that always seemed to sparkle in the light when he looked at them. It was the face of Kanaya Maryam, and the specific way her eyebrows were raised was all too familiar to him. She had something to tell him, not only that but he noticed another girl sitting next to her. It's as he puts his tray down Kanaya speaks.

"Hello Karkat, this," she gestured to the girl sitting next to her, "is Rose Lalonde." The girl gave a small wave, adjusting the headband in her straight, blonde hair. The first thing Karkat really noticed was that she had lavender eyes, the next thing being she and Kanaya seemed to favor the same color of lipstick. The next words seemed excited, giddy even, "She's my soulmate."

His eyes widened a, though a bit of his hair seemed to block this motion, "Wow... So she's your soulmate?" He found himself both glad for them and... a bit jealous in a way. He's sure almost anyone would be but still, Kanaya had a color almost like his was. It was uncommon. Not as uncommon as red but still uncommon nonetheless. He didn't smile, he hardly does let himself show that particular expression, but his disgruntled expression had noticeably softened into that of one that seemed more neutral than it was anything else. "Congratulations. That's great, Kanaya. But you know I have to ask, how did you find each other exactly?"

Kanaya's voice is as it always sounds, as if she's attempting to enunciate every syllable very clearly yet remaining with a smooth pattern, "Well, I was headed to my first class when I felt it. The thing they speak of in the legends. It was like a bit of a tug for me to simply turn my head and then saw her. She had been talking to a friend I believe. When she turned in my direction our eyes met and, oh it was wonderful. I can't even describe it at the moment without making the experience sound duller."

"Well I'm happy for you." He gives a bit of a smile, how he would've held it back when Kanaya was this happy is a mystery. He and his sisters may be actual siblings, Kankri at least having the last name, but he and Kanaya had a lot more of the cliche sibling bond. He and Kankri tend to just bicker constantly, or more along the lines of what could be considered constant sibling rivalry. Nepeta and him talk sure, he didn't exactly do much with Meulin aside from stay at her house to avoid Kankri. But then there was Kanaya. Kanaya was legitimately like his sister, one of the only people in the known universe who could break through the grumpy exterior he puts up without a hitch in her breath. It was a talent that seemed to come naturally to her, but considering she and Karkat practically grew up together, even if it was across the world for a good period of time, it isn't so surprising. What was surprising was how she did so without effort, it didn't take a whole lot to make him happy. It just took a good bit to have him willingly showing an emotion such as that one.

Lunch went by as quickly as he had imagined it would, Karkat finding he was near ignored by the newfound couple didn't see any point in trying to interrupt them. Soon enough the bell to signal it was over sounded and Karkat stood up. Well more groaned in slight annoyance, tucked his headphones and his now turned off phone into a pocket in his bag before he stood up and started walking to where his locker was. Once he finally reached the metal thing standing taller than even himself he let out a sigh. He had a feeling the rest of the day was going to drag on longer than he'd prefer. The least he could do was resist the urge to bang his head against the nearest hard surface.


	2. An Exception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. Dave shows up, johns unintentionally a dick, karkat wants the day to be over

After shifting around a few things in his locker, switching out stuff he used the past few hours for the things he'd need in the next few. It actually wasn't much considering most of the time the first day of the new school year is like playing the "welcome back" speech on repeat for about seven hours.

Karkat finally shut the door of the locker and made sure no nosey people would be snooping around through his stuff. Sure it's pretty much only textbooks, but they're his textbooks, therefore they are his personal things. If there's one thing Karkat doesn't want it would be people digging through his personal things. Not to mention he's pretty sure at least one of soulmate history books he brought along for his own reading pleasure could get him into some form of trouble, be it simple teasing or worse.

Honestly he'd just rather skipping over any of that type of thing, so keeping his little book nice and secure where no one really should be able to get to it is a good idea. Even then the most he can do is hope no one in this school has enough nerve to try and break into his locker. So far everyone seemed too nice to even think of such a thing, then again it could just be that small bit of excitement from the summer break that just won't go away yet making everyone seem so intolerably cheery.

Of course Karkat thinks a lot of people are intolerably excited, or some other emotion of the sort, so it could be a good bit of an overstatement to others that aren't always caught up in the disgruntled mood Karkat keeps himself in most of the time.

So far his opinion of the school is squarely fixated around 'everyone is too nice', then again he wouldn't be surprised if he simply hasn't encountered someone rude yet. So far throughout the entire day he's either been in his own little bubble, reading some novel, or just completely blocking out whoever tried to talk to him, unless it was a teacher or someone he already knew. The only people that even dared to cross over into the bubble were those who had no idea what the words 'personal' and 'space' meant when put together, so it's fairly probable that he simply hasn't acknowledged any of them, who he'd find even more intolerable than he does the happy-go-lucky assholes, at the school yet. Frankly, he doesn't want to have to meet any of them.

He already had his select group of friends in his little social circle. Thing is he never really looked to expand that circle of people, which contained a good few of his friends' siblings that he kind of had to get along with most of the time. So when some guy from his class section tried to make friends with him for the fourth time that day, he may or may not have snapped. Well, if you consider glaring at someone with a killer amount of silence until they go away snapping, then yes. He definitely snapped.

Seriously all he was trying to do was use the nice free time the teacher gave to finish rereading one of his favorite books, was it so hard for the guy to not come up to him within the first few minutes of the damn class? Apparently so, this kid, who Karkat could only guess was named John Egbert based on what he'd heard from the people who occasionally called his name, obviously had a hard time keeping his brace filled mouth shut. At least had a hard time understanding Karkat wanted to be left to read without losing his place due to slamming his book closed in frustration. As if to make it worse, the same kid walked over for the second time in less than five minutes only to say some shit like "Have a good day!" and pat Karkat's back before he even had enough time to look up from his book and tell the idiot to go away.

Almost as soon as he had looked up from his book and to the side, Egbert was off to his own desk again. Hell, on of the only reasons Karkat knew it was John who was just there was because of the voice along with him being the only one standing, not to mention there's nothing but a wall behind Karkat's desk so no one sitting behind him could've done anything. Unless walls can talk and pat backs, then maybe it was someone, or something, from behind him. He simply went back to his book reading, hunched over in his desk almost as if it would help him go unnoticed by anyone else who has made it their goal to piss off the kid with the look on his face that reads "I don't want to talk to anyone so go away" very clearly.

Despite his efforts of making sure it was evident he wanted anything but socialization at that moment, he found himself being talked to yet again. It wasn't John, the voice was too different, deeper than John's. Another giveaway was that he could vaguely register the white shirt and grey jacket of whoever is trying to tell him whatever from what he can see in the top parts of his vision, that being opposed to John’s lack of any jacket whatsoever.

Good thing about having his head turned down as it is would be that this person won't exactly be able to tell he actually acknowledged them somewhat. Honestly he just wanted to ignore them, not out of spite or rudeness, simply because after the many attempts from Egbert, Karkat has lost any small want to talk to anyone. Yet for whatever reason, he found himself wanting to look up. He found himself actually wanting to talk to the very person standing in front of him. He honestly couldn't explain it, he usually wasn't one to search for new friends on the first day of school. Much less try and get along with people before he has to.

It wasn't exactly long before he gave in.

Now the sight he was met with, for whatever reason, was almost familiar. He hadn't seen this person so far this day, even if he's sure they're in his class, but it's like he actually has seen them before. It was odd to feel the grumpy and disgruntled feelings slowly drain from his expression, from his very emotional state of being at that moment, only to be replaced by something he could put place exactly. Curiosity, confusion maybe, an obvious bit of recognition somewhere. Despite the mix he felt his words came out almost as annoyed sounding as you'd expect from him.

"And what the hell do you want?"

"Well damn, 'bout time you looked up. Been here forever man, thought I was about to have to wave my hand straight in front of your face to get your attention or some shit." The obviously taller boy pushed up his glasses, wait. Glasses? Okay Karkat had to admit that it was a bit weird to be wearing damn sunglasses inside, but he couldn't bring himself to make some comment about the sheer oddity of it. It was.... It was familiar and he can't tell why. The blonde hair, the small amount of freckles poking out from the edge of the glasses, even the smirk like smile plastered on the guy's face. It all registered to something in his memories, but he can't remember seeing anyone even similar to this guy, he's pretty sure he doesn't even have memory of someone like this.

Karkat simply sighed somewhat slightly, as if to fake some sort of his usual annoyance that doesn't seem to be evident on his face whatsoever. "That still doesn't answer my question. And plus, after having as many happy asshats approach me as I have had so far today, conversation is seeming like a thing I want to avoid."

"Understandable, John can be a bit... uh, I guess social may be a word to use. And he's also annoying at times, which is part of why I came over here. He slapped a sign on your back.”

Part of him cursed at not figuring it out sooner, and the other part cursed at John in general. Sure enough when he reached over his shoulder and practically slapped his own back, his palm made contact with a sheet of paper first. With a slight grumble he made a fist, taking the paper off of his back as he brought his hand back to be in front of himself. And upon unfolding the paper he sighed, it was just a damn face. An open parentheses, a colon, and then the letter 'B'. What kind of shit was this supposed to even be? A shitty prank at the least. It was just a face, nothing drastic. Still Karkat found himself annoyed by it, annoyed by John as a person at this point.

"Okay as annoying as this is, it's more stupid than anything. What in the fuck kind of a joke is this? It doesn't even make sense," his words came out as some sort of a mumble as he balled up the paper and shoved it in his nearby bag. The other guy had apparently sat down in the chair near his own as he had been looking down at the stupid note John had oh so gracefully left on his back. Which Karkat would probably curse his stupidity for not noticing for at least the next few hours.

"I don't know man, dude's my best friend and even I don't get his sense of humor half the time." He gave a shrug, leaning back in the chair he had sat down in. "Ah, and, the name's Dave. Dave Strider. And I haven't happened to catch yours yet so it'd be pretty sweet if you let me in on that info, unless it's like some top secret government shit. Then it may be best to not say it, and if that's the case then I'm gonna call yo-"

For a few seconds Karkat just stared, mouth slightly ajar, one eyebrow raised as if in disbelief. He had ended up interrupting the stream of bullshit the other had been starting to say, "Okay, that's enough of that, my name is Karkat. Vantas that is."

"Holy shit dude, that's golden. Karkat. Wow." The small chuckle that had followed the words, along with the hints of disbelief woven through Dave's words, kind of made a small feeling arise in Karkat.

"Do you have a problem with my name or something, Strider?" Okay maybe that came out a bit more offended sounding than he had meant it, but after so many years karkat knew when to recognize a bit of an off tone when he hears one.

It was hardly noticeable, but Dave raised his eyebrows, the expression of someone trying to figure out how to fix a mistake shrouded and concealed by the glasses on his face. "Oh what man no. Just, see my cousin Roxy has this thing with cats, and I've been hanging out with her so much it's rubbed off a bit. No offense meant, just never heard of the name before. It's a nice one too, definitely a bit more extravagant than 'Dave'. But I have yet to find a name as sweet and cool as my own." To end his words he gave a shrug, unlike other people who would smile or something.

Dave didn't seem to change his expression much, though maybe it was how Dave was trying to conceal the fact he had first compared Karkat's appearance to that of 'being cute as a kitten' before he even heard word of the other's name. Sure it was a pretty uncool type thing to think about anyone, he was already ridiculing himself subconsciously for such a thing, yet brushing it off as irony for no apparent reason other than to be a total asshole about simply admiring someone's appearance helped him out.

Karkat sighed, rolling his eyes ever so slightly to the point that it was as if he merely glanced upward for a second before looking back to the grey and white and black dressed Strider sitting nearby. "Suuuuure," he dragged out the middle of the word to add emphasis, stopping when he heard his own dumb accent shine through a bit, "whatever you say asshat. For your lovely fucking information, my name has nothing to do with cats other than the damn sound of the latter half."

"Oh my god you sound like an English teacher what the hell is this sorcery." Dave had to hold back a snicker at how frustrated Karkat seemed, honestly he found it oddly cute.

"Oh my god you sound like a monotone asshole with no emotions other than 'swag' and 'look at me I'm better than you'," Karkat had mocked Dave's tone best he could, not to mention the others expression as best he could manage with his grumpy look.  
Sighing and turning his head away from the other, Karkat went back to reading his book, eyes flicking over the pages at practiced speed.

In that moment, he was almost sure he was free from the clutches of social interaction, he almost thought that the silence meant Dave had left and that he could read in peace without having to grumble out responses to things and such. Of course, his hopes hadn't gotten to high up before they were crushed. He wasn't sure exactly how the hell he didn't hear Dave, nor was he sure why he wasn't getting so mad at this guy for being so close, but at some point as Karkat had been reading this dick with the golden rimmed sunglasses and the obviously styled to be messy hair had pulled his damn chair directly next to Karkat's. And then, Karkat nearly snapped.

"Holy fuck are you reading soulmate legends," Dave had the tone of amused disbelief once more, and Karkat had actually opened his mouth and was about to start ranting if it weren't for Dave's next few words. "I never actually payed any attention to that type of shit. It's nerdy that you're into it, but hey I guess I can't talk huh? I don't even know much more than the damn basics."

Karkat's mouth hung open, parted slightly as he turned to look at Dave, not even registering how close they were. "You mean to tell me all you know about soulmate stuff is the color replacement? Because that's basically what I just heard you say."

Dave shrugged, "Never really interested me. When yo- oh hey woah I'd love to stay and spout constant bullshit, but judging by the time we're about to have to go to our next class, and the next teach coming up isn't exactly one who likes the class mingling like a bunch of single women at bachelor party they didn't know was a bachelor party."

"And your point is?"

Dave coughed a bit and no way, Karkat couldn't believe it. The guy seemed nervous. Legitimately nervous through all the cool kid shit. Then again maybe it was the fact Karkat was getting a bit unsettled by the guys insistence upon staying and bothering the shit out of, or more just not bothering either way works, him while he was trying to read that was making him suspect Dave being nervous.

Finally Dave got the words out, "Would you mind sharing a pesterchum chat handle or something? Phone numbers might seem extreme after one day but that seems like a mild thing to suggest."

For a moment Karkat's jaw hung open, one eyebrow raised a slight bit higher than the other. It wasn't disbelief, it was actually a good bit implacable really. But he too eventually got his words out coherently. "You're asking me for my number?"

"Pesterchum handle, not a phone number. Two entirely different things."

"Oh, oh my god you are. I- you know what fine," he sighed, pulling a sheet of paper from his notebook. "I'll humor you."

Karkat wasn't looking directly, but out of the corners of his vision he swore he saw the fucker smirking, which he sighed at. Figures. Maybe the whole nervous thing was just some act, or maybe it wasn't. There was no real way to tell for sure without directly pointing out Dave's bullshit.

Even if it was karkat just had this feeling, this tug in his gut that suggested he should do this. No, actually, it didn't suggest. It nearly demanded that he do this. Demanded that he give his contact information to this new person that he hardly knew shit about. Even with all the knowledge he had about everything, no part of him could place why he was so intent on actually handing over the little slip of paper. He could only guess that Dave had been subtly persuasive or something, it probably didn't matter anyway. He leaned back in his chair after, picking up his stuff and swinging his bag over his shoulders as he stood. He let out a simple sigh, crossing his arms and shaking his head at Dave’s expression.

At least the day was more than halfway over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what happens next? I have no clue, shenanigans probably, maybe you guys could send me suggestions, say a bit about what you want to see here?


End file.
